Reducing signals also isn't desired. The system is tuned to reproduce music the way it was meant to be heard by Dirac and settings all down the middle. Really no need to lower but a few frequencies but only by as little as you can. You will find at moderate to high volume, keeping the bars all in the middle with only high frequencies lowered 2 notches, bass and treble in middle and surround off is best sound this system puts out. Eq is used for a system that has not been produced already by a program like Dirac. Surround uses Dolby prokogic and sounds like shit. It wasn't designed by Dirac. Also fader needs to be middle or plus/ minus 1.

If you don't like the sound you need to get better quality music. The two weak points if Dirac is wayyyy too many tweeters at 7!! And poor low bass. I got rid if 3 tweeters and replaced with mid speakers . Sounded wayyy better . Im putting sub from musicar in and band passing 8 inch under seat wiofers from 50-200 as that is range they really play well

Different everything but upgrading HiFi you have is so easy to get amazing sound better than individidual audio. Search around regular e90post audio .upgrade speakers, add an amp to run speakers, underswat woofers and get a sub. Google musicar . They sell packages for our cars with sub enclosure made for our trunk to blend in the side

Thanks Colorado - I should have done a search after posting that question as it looks like it was answered several times before. The retrofit appears to be a lot of work - I'd love to keep it OEM but for that kind of money and labor might as well go aftermarket.

Is there anyone that's done the retrofit as a DIY effort on this forum? Would be fun to see.

Thanks Colorado - I should have done a search after posting that question as it looks like it was answered several times before. The retrofit appears to be a lot of work - I'd love to keep it OEM but for that kind of money and labor might as well go aftermarket.

Is there anyone that's done the retrofit as a DIY effort on this forum? Would be fun to see.

You're going to spend just as much as getting a custom sound system. Bring your car down to San Diego and take it to La Jolla Audio, they'll build you a system that will destroy the Enhanced Premium Sound and it will probably end up being cheaper. This is coming from someone who has EPS in my M3 and actually enjoys it for aside from a few limitations.

The thing a lot of people don't understand about audio is the difference between how humans perceive sound and the way sound systems reproduce sound. Humans don't hear all frequencies at the same volume when they are played at the same amplitude. More importantly, the difference in perceived volume of different frequencies changes at different overall volume levels. The EPS system sounds pretty decent at very high volume (it still lacks low bass and could be better in a few areas but it's actually one of my favorite systems on any stock car). When you adjust the volume, though, all frequencies are getting louder or quieter by the same amount, the shape of the frequency response curve stays relatively constant.

When you listen at more moderate volume levels, the human ear perceives bass and certain parts of the treble band to be lower than the midrange so a system tuned to sound right at a high volume level will sound dull and lifeless at the normal volumes most of us use on a normal day. The EQ built into the car is a great way to tune the frequency response of the system to sound better (not only to your personal tastes but possibly 'better' in an objective sense - closer to the ideal frequency response at that volume level).

I attached an image of Fletcher-Munson curves which show the ideal frequency response at various volume levels. These are also called Equal Loudness Contours because a system with a frequency response that matches these curves will sound accurate and 'right' at the right volume level. You can see why most people like to add bass and treble to their systems, you're probably listening somewhere around 70-80dB which is a normal-high listening volume. Anything above 90 is quite loud and would make conversation difficult, many people listen at these volumes but only occasionally.

I also want to say that the people saying you should cut instead of boosting with an EQ are right, you'll achieve the same results with more headroom (ability to turn the system up without running into distortion). Once you find the settings you like, take the highest setting and make that zero and adjust everything else down from there. For example, with Malek's settings set 1KHz to 0, 500Hz to -1, 200Hz to -3, etc.

I know in theory cutting works but on this system it starts to sound hollow. Even when keeping all relative spacing. I find it really won't distort at all up to max volume when everything is left centered with bass at middle. So distortion isn't an issue . I've tried everything and really everything down middle with bit of high freq cut is ideal
.if only they would have given adjustment of 50hz and 75hz, that would have been perfect to filter out sub bass at high volumes as that's the only area it can be in clear but depends on song

Just got the 2013 M3 Convertible with this setup. I came from a 335i with a custom setup (Focals, SWS sub replacements and an Alpine amp). Sound was amazing and superior to this system.

Does anyone know what the recommended settings for the '03 Convertible are? I am listening mostly to electronic so my 100hz are almost all the way up. Still not getting the tight bass that the 2 ohm SWS 8" subs delivered.

Just got the 2013 M3 Convertible with this setup. I came from a 335i with a custom setup (Focals, SWS sub replacements and an Alpine amp). Sound was amazing and superior to this system.

Does anyone know what the recommended settings for the '03 Convertible are? I am listening mostly to electronic so my 100hz are almost all the way up. Still not getting the tight bass that the 2 ohm SWS 8" subs delivered.

Just picked up my first M3. I had heard the standard audio system wasn't the greatest so I made sure to look for an the enhanced premium. When I picked up the car it sounded like crap. The previous owner had the treble and bass maxed out and all the equalizer settings were pretty much maxed out. I was pretty disappointed all the way home. I adjusted it a bit the best I could while I was driving and got it to sound decent, but not great.

Came home, jumped on the trusty form, and found this. Just went to the car and adjusted the settings and it sounds MUCH better now (granted the engine was off ). Still not as nice as the mark levinson system in my last car but pretty decent!! It's OK though because my favorite track to listen to is the engine with the stereo off and the windows rolled down!!!

Tried OP's settings and even though they're better than factory, the system sounds SOOO muddy especially at low volumes.

It's because the car is doing additional EQ at lower volumes. It's similar to "loudness" or "dynamic volume" on home stereos. Per the posts in this thread, the system will actually do LESS equalization if you play it a bit louder or get the car moving faster. It's related to psychoacoustics and how we perceive certain frequencies...I won't get into it here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ILSMKU

Why does S-Volume make my BASS so much louder at low volumes? Full S volume causes my system to sound very VERY boomy. I only use S volume #2, but I was just paying with it and noticed that.

See above answer. The car is boosting bass and treble at low volume and low speed. You can't disable this, sadly, but the recommended setting on page 1 greatly minimizes it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bimmer-M3

What does S-Volume stand for?

It's the amount of EQ adjustment performed versus vehicle speed. It is NOT speed sensitive volume.

It's because the car is doing additional EQ at lower volumes. It's similar to "loudness" or "dynamic volume" on home stereos. Per the posts in this thread, the system will actually do LESS equalization if you play it a bit louder or get the car moving faster. It's related to psychoacoustics and how we perceive certain frequencies...I won't get into it here.

See above answer. The car is boosting bass and treble at low volume and low speed. You can't disable this, sadly, but the recommended setting on page 1 greatly minimizes it.

It's the amount of EQ adjustment performed versus vehicle speed. It is NOT speed sensitive volume.

Is the first tick/bar in the S-Volume 0 or 1? If i'm trying to set it to 2 as recommended is that with 2 bars showing or 3? (I thought it was speed compensated volume as well and always had it on max, glad I know better now)

Is the first tick/bar in the S-Volume 0 or 1? If i'm trying to set it to 2 as recommended is that with 2 bars showing or 3? (I thought it was speed compensated volume as well and always had it on max, glad I know better now)

Good question. I assumed that the farthest-left is "0" (even though it has one bar illuminated).

On my 2009 instead of S-Vol it says Speed Volume. I know others have said that it isn't speed sensitive volume and that it only changes EQ settings depending on speed but when I am on the highway and I raise this value it certainly does get much louder.

Are we sure this isn't speed sensitive volume? (Louder the faster you go, which personally I like, and what it seems its doing)